To mark Human Rights Day and the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Mayor David Miller has issued a proclamation and will participate in the presentation of five awards. The presentation will take place in the City Hall Council Chamber on Thursday, November 27 at 6:30 p.m.

Presentations will be made to recipients of the Aboriginal Affairs Award, Access Award for Disability Issues, Constance E. Hamilton Award on the Status of Women, the Pride Award for Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Two Spirited Issues, and the William P. Hubbard Award for Race Relations. Merella Fernandez of CityNews will host the awards ceremony.

The Aboriginal Affairs Award honours the volunteer contributions of a person(s) or organization(s) whose efforts have made a significant or ongoing contribution toward improving the quality of life for the Aboriginal community in Toronto. These contributions include services or advocacy work on issues such as health, shelter work, street work, governance and self- determination, human rights or cultural activities. The recipients are:
• Yvette Nolan - to recognize her outstanding accomplishments within the Aboriginal Arts community and the wider society through her work in the theatre community.
• Métis Artists’ Collective - to recognize their efforts to nurture talent, and for promoting and embracing the bilingual and bicultural heritage of the Métis community and its contribution to Aboriginal arts.

The Access Award for Disability Issues recognizes people or organizations that have made significant contributions, beyond legislated requirements, toward improving the quality of life for people with disabilities in the city of Toronto. Examples of contributions include consideration of access requirements in the design of a new or renovated building, job training or recreational programs. The recipients are:
• Ryerson University and the Royal Ontario Museum - to recognize their public education initiative with the groundbreaking exhibition chronicling the history of disability issues and the struggle for independent living.
• Centre for Independent Living - to recognize ongoing commitment, advocacy and volunteer work within the disability community and the establishment of partnerships with institutions to improve services for people with disabilities.

The Constance E. Hamilton Award on the Status of Women is awarded to a person(s) who has made a significant volunteer contribution to the equitable treatment of women in the city of Toronto. The award is named for Toronto’s first woman councillor, elected in 1920. The recipients are:
• Deena Ladd - to recognize her leadership and advocacy to improve wages and working conditions on behalf of marginalized and vulnerable workers - workers of colour, low wage workers and immigrant workers.
• Heather McGregor - for leadership and advocacy on behalf of women and children in the voluntary sector, and her role as a mentor and advocate for young women and staff by encouraging them to achieve their potential.

The Pride Award for Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Two Spirited Issues honours the contributions of a person(s) or organization(s) whose efforts have been significant for the well-being and advancement of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Transsexual and Two Spirited (LGBTTT) communities in Toronto. The recipient is:
• Anna Willats - to recognize her leadership and advocacy roles and her work as a lesbian activist within the LGBTTT and wider community for the establishment of services, policy changes and institutional accountability.

The William P. Hubbard Award for Race Relations is named after one of Toronto’s first African-Canadian councillors (1894-1913). This award honours a person(s) or organization whose efforts have made an outstanding contribution to race relations in Toronto. The recipients are:
• George Elliott Clarke - to recognize his local and national leadership role in creating an understanding and awareness of African and Black culture and excellence in his contribution to redefining culture.
• Avvy Go - to recognize her advocacy and community organizing aimed at achieving social and economic justice and equality under the law.
• Carl James - to recognize his leadership, advocacy and innovation in establishing programs and partnerships on a local and city-wide basis to improve opportunities and remove barriers caused by racism.

Toronto is Canada’s largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of more than 2.6 million people. It is the economic engine of Canada and one of the greenest and most creative cities in North America. In the past three years, Toronto has won numerous awards for quality, innovation and efficiency in delivering public services. Toronto’s government is dedicated to prosperity, opportunity and liveability for all its residents